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Jul 9 • 56:49
Slow Down and Noticefinding art in nature with Mary Jo Hoffman
Episode:

Slow Down and Noticefinding art in nature with Mary Jo Hoffman

July 9, 2024 • 56:49 • Greta Eskridge

Todays episode is extra special to me because I got to talk to Mary Jo Hoffman, someone I have followed online and admired for more than 10 years! Mary Jo is an artist whose art form is taking photographs of found nature on black or white backgrounds. As an avid nature collector myself, I absolutely loved her beautiful art and became a fan instantly. 

 

Mary Jo is a rocket scientist turned artist, blogger, and now author of the book, Still, the Art of Noticing. She married to a James Beard award winning food writer, a mom to 2 kids, and she lives in St. Paul Minnesota. 

 

Mary Jos art has made her into a noticer. Collecting pieces of nature and photographing them daily has made her slow down and really notice all the beauty there is in the natural world, no matter the season. We have a great discussion about her art and her book and the ways we can help our kids become noticers too, even though they are growing up in a world that doesnt really celebrate slowing down. I know youll come away inspired by this episode. And maybe you and your kids can start a habit of noticing nature and loving the beauty of nature, just like Mary Jo has.  

 

Some links for you from this episode: 

To see the art of Lisa Congdon, the artist who was an inspiration for Mary Jo, go here 

To learn more about the 72 micro seasons in Japan, go here 

Find the Beatrix Potter book here 

Find Mary Jos book here 

Read Mary Jos blog here 

Follow Mary Jo on Instagram here 

 

Some favorite quotes from this episode:  

*The natural world drew me in first not as a source of beauty to observe, but as an expression of mathematics, and physics: I loved natural shapes for the trial-and-error perfection of their function; I loved seed pods for the ingenuity of their dispersal mechanisms; I loved the algorithms of spirals, saw toothed leaf tips, and the shapes of trees that imitated the shapes of rivers and their tributaries. Mary Jo Hoffman 

* We dont value slowing down very much as a culture and we miss out as a result. Greta Eskridge  

*As the project progressed, so too my definition of seasonality was redefined. I noticed not big sweeping changes in temperature and light, but daily changes. I noticed the exact day the sap began to run. The day the first catkins exploded. The day the lilacs opened. And the day the first orange maple leaf appeared. And I captured it all, one high-resolution image at a time, for ten years. The attentiveness required to make an image a day led to a depth of understanding I had not expected. The more narrow and deep I went, the more my world expanded. Mary Jo Hoffman 

* Kids dont know the names of anything in nature anymore. How do we grow tomorrows stewards of the environment if the kids dont have an attachment to it? Mary Jo Hoffman 

* Learning names of things in nature makes you care about them more. Because then you have a relationship and connection beyond, thats a pretty flower. Greta Eskridge 

*How do you raise creative kids? You model it every day. Mary Jo Hoffman 

*Give your kids space and time for creativity. Greta Eskridge 

* Part of being a noticer is having childlike wonder. Mary Jo Hoffman 

* Owning the responsibilities of sharing the awe and wonder of the natural world is one of the duties of being a parent. Mary Jo Hoffman 

* Look for micro joys in your life! Mary Jo Hoffman 

 

If you havent already, please take a minute to subscribe to this podcast. Id also be so very grateful if you leave a 5-star rating and write a quick review.  

Reviews are incredibly helpful to me as a new podcaster. 

Thank you for listening and being part of my team.  

I love you guys! 

Greta 

 

Podcast:

The Greta Eskridge Podcast

With Greta Eskridge
We're living in a time filled with distraction and disconnection from the things that matter most. Things like faith, family, friendship, and childhood innocence feel harder and harder to hold onto. But I believe a joyful, connected life is possible with Jesus's help because he offers us life to the full! It's time to open our eyes to the wonder God has put all around us, so join me each week on The Greta Eskridge Podcast as some of my favorite friends and I explore ways to create connection in our families and chase joy through both the peaks and valleys of parenting and life.
All Episodes:
Jan 7 • 47:16
French Feast with Madame Lee

Hello friends and happy new year! This is the first episode of 2025 and it is a wonderful one. Before we get to it though, I want to be sure to remind you to pre-order my upcoming book, It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn: A Parent's Guide to Helping Children and Teens Develop Sexual Integrity. You can place your pre-order here . When you pre-order, you wont pay until the book is sent to you,, youll get the lowest price on the book, and best of all, youll be helping get this book and its vitally important message out into the world! Pre-orders really can do that. The book will release on March 4th, so please get those preorders in today!| 

Now about todays episode. 

I loved talking with my friend, Sue Lee, or Madame Lee, as her French students call her. Sue is a real life friend of mine, a home schooling mom to 3 and a home school French teacher to students all over the US. She is wise and funny, smart and cultured, motivational and kind. Shes just great! 

Sue shares her story of learning 4 languages, and ultimately landing on French as her absolute favorite. She also shares why she believes it is so important for everyone to learn a new language and how doing so opens up worlds of culture, art, food and culture. You will come away from this episode inspired to learn French alongside your kids with Sues new course, French Feast with Madame Lee. I know youll love this episode! Find all the info about Sue and her courses below. 

 

Where to find Madame Lee: 

On her website here 

On Instagram here 

 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Find French Feast here 

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry here 

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Dec 31 • 33:19
Q & A with Greta! with Greta Eskridge

Hello friends and Happy New Year! Or happy New Years Eve, depending on when you listen to this. Whenever it is, I am so glad you are here. Thank you for being a part of my community in 2024 and I pray you continue in 2025. 

For this last episode of the year I decided to do a Q & A. It was a lot of fun! And I promise that if I didnt get to your question this time, I will in the future since I am going to be adding these to my podcast line up every month or so. Thank you for sending in such great questions. You make my job easy! 

And this is your last reminder of 2024 to you to grab your copy of my upcoming book, It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn: a Parents Guide to Helping Children and Teens Develop Sexual Integrity. If you pre-order now youll get it as soon as it releases, wont get charged until the book ships, and your orders get the book out into more book stores and retailers. It truly helps more people see this book and get the message they need so much! Pre order info below! 

I am already looking forward to all that 2025 holds and I cant wait to share it with you. 

God bless you! 

 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Pre-order your copy of Its Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here 

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Dec 24 • 15:34
A Christmas Tale from 1914 with Greta Eskridge

Merry Christmas all! Whether you are up late wrapping presents, up early making breakfast, or on a long drive to visit family and friends, I am glad to spend a little bit of Christmas with you. 

In this episode I am so excited to share one of our familys favorite Christmas stories with you. It is a true story from WWI, and happened on Christmas eve and Christmas day in 1914. There are numerous places where you can read about the real life event. There are even pictures, taken by soldiers who were there experiencing it. 

This is a heartwarming tale and I hope it fills your heart with hope. And that it will remind you that even in the darkest times, the light still shines!  

God bless you all. 

 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Get your copy of Shooting at the Stars here 

Read more about the Christmas truce of 1914 here 

See pictures and watch a video about the Christmas truce of 1914 here 

See James and Lillys original coloring sheets here 

Dec 17 • 52:35
Making Christmas Meaningful with Lyndsey Mimnagh

In this episode I got to talk with the wonderful Lyndsey Mimnagh of Treehouse Schoolhouse. Lyndsey and I talk for a bit about home schooling and then we get to the heart of the episode, celebrating Christmas with our families in meaningful and intentional ways. This episode is full of inspiration and ideas, but also there is a lot of grace for the mom who might feel overwhelmed by Christmas when shes in a tough season. Lindsey offers fun and creative ideas, but shes also great at providing simple and practical ways for any family to have fun at Christmas. 

There are so many ideas for Christmas this year and next. I came away inspired and I bet you will too. 

 

Where to find Lyndsey: 

Find Lyndsey on her website here 

Find Lyndsey on Instagram here 

Find Lyndsey on You tube here 

 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Get 15% off all products from the Treehouse Schoolhouse shop here  

*Use the code GRETAESKRIDGE15 

Find Gretas cinnamon roll recipe here 

Find The Legend of the Candy Cane book here 

Find An Orange for Frankie book here 

Find The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey here 

Find the Favorite Things party details here 

Find the If Youre Sad at Christmas post here 

 

Some of my favorite quotes from this episode: 

We need to see something pretty that helps us strive toward something and at the same time we need to know how to do it. I want to be a place that provides both. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

We can see who God has designed our children to be when they play. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

School doesnt have to be in a classroom. School doesnt even need to be in a home. School can be outside! Lyndsey Mimnagh 

If you missed the start date of advent, you can start on whatever day of December youre on! This is the freedom we need as we celebrate Christmas. Greta Eskridge 

Wherever you are at this moment in December, its OK to say, I am going to put some of these ideas into practice this week. Its not too late! Greta Eskridge  

If you are in a season where it feels heavy and hard, and you have circumstances that dont lend themselves to doing all the Christmas things, that is OK. But also, if you are in a season where you can, or you are a person who finds doing all the crafts and Christmas activities life giving, that is OK too. We can be in both places at different times. Greta Eskridge 

What kids want and need is a calm and peaceful mom. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

Even if I want to be the Pinterest Christmas mom, if that comes at the expense of my peace, then it is not worth it for me. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

You have the freedom to do as much or as little as you can mange this Christmas because the focus of Christmas is Jesus and that is what we want to bring our kids back to over and over again. Greta Eskridge 

 

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org 

 

 

Dec 10 • 1:0:09
Tending to Your Heart with Alyssa Bethke

Dont forget to pre-order my new book, Its Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn: A Parents Guide to Helping Children and Teens Develop Sexual Integrity. This is the book you need to give you all the tips and tools for keeping your kids safe from the danger and damage pornography can cause. And most importantly, this book will help you feel confident and comfortable having some of the most challenging conversations with your kids. Pre-order it today, right here

What a perfect time to talk to my friend Alyssa Bethke about her new book, When Doing it All is Undoing You: Meeting God in Your Unmet Expectations. The Christmas season feels so full of to-do lists and activities and many, many expectations that are impossible for us to meet and that leaves us feeling like were letting down others and often feel let down ourselves. Alyssa shares her own journey of coming to a place of being undone and what it looked like to draw near to Jesus and His care for her when she began to tend her heart. 

We also talk about the importance of travel, having novelty and wonder in our lives, and peeing in the woods! So take a deep breath and settle in to be encouraged by this episode. I know youll come away from this episode feeling refreshed. 

 

Where to find Alyssa: 

Find her and her husband Jeffs website here 

Find Alyssa on Instagram here 

Find Alyssas book here 

 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Matt 11:28-30 Come to me,all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 

Ann Voskcamps gratitude journal here 

 

Some of my favorite quotes from this episode: 

When I go for my walks, I try to notice one thing that is different or new. It helps me be less distracted and more present, to put away my phone and to ask myself what do I see and what do I feel? Alyssa Bethke 

Being an observant person, a curious person, a person who finds joy in your every day are powerful and important things to make a part of our everyday life. Greta Eskridge 

I felt like it was my responsibility to make sure everyone around me was OK. Alyssa Bethke 

I think you need a season of caring for your heart. Alyssa Bethke 

The goal of life is not to be free of pain but to be more and more intimate with the Lord, and letting Him see us through the pain rather than keep us from the pain. Alyssa Bethke 

Its OK to come undone and come to the end of ourselves because that is where God does His best work in our lives. Alyssa Bethke 

I wanted to live in my ideal life not my reality, but when we are honest with God He will meet us in our reality. Alyssa Bethke 

God always meets us with such grace and kindness. Its His kindness that leads us to repentance. Alyssa Bethke 

We have to ask ourselves, who or what are we doing all this for? What is my legacy? What do I want to leave behind? Greta Eskridge 

Every day I go for a 30 minute walk, without my phone, and Im going to talk to God. And I ask myself, where have I felt Gods presence and where have I not felt Gods presence? This was such a time for me to tend to my heart and commune with Jesus. Alyssa Bethke 

The world is telling you all these things you need to be and do and that is going to leave you disappointed. But instead, by tending your heart and going to Jesus youre going to find the antidote to that anxiety and stress and disappointment. Greta Eskridge 

There is always wonder to behold so go on a wonder hunt! Alyssa Bethke 

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

About the Host

Greta Eskridge

Greta Eskridge is a second-generation homeschooler, an author, a speaker, and a podcast host. Greta’s faith in God is the lens through which she sees the world.

Greta loves encouraging parents to pursue joyful, connected parenting. And she is passionate about helping families create connection in a disconnected world through things like purposeful adventures, online safety, and keeping their eyes wide open to wonder. Greta firmly believes that “joy is the serious business of heaven” and is on mission to chase joy through both the peaks and valleys of parenting and life.

Greta lives in sunny southern California with her artist husband, Aaron, and their four kids--1 young adult and 3 teens. Greta loves nature, books and coffee and her favorite place to be is on a hiking trail. 

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